Folding crib



June 16, 1953 s, CARBEE 2,641,774

FOLDING CRIB Filed June 17-, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. SHELDON CARBEE Patented June 16, 1953 UNITED STATES ?ATENT OFFICE I II FOLDING cam Sheldon Carbee, Melrose, Mass. Ap lication June 17, 1948, Serial No. 33,529

' i 2 Claims.

. My present invention relates to a foldable unit adapted to serve either as a childs crib or as his playpen. I I I While in the care of an infant, both a criband a; playpen are, for practical purposes, necessities", the crib is much more theimportant of the'two. Playpens are commonly made so 'that'theymay be Ieasily set up where desired arid compactly folded whennot'inuse or when they are to be moved. While folding cribshave been proposed, there is, of course, a lesser need fcrone, as such, than there is for a'folding playpen due to the fact that it is seldomnecessary to move a crib unless the parents wish to talre it 'withthem on their vacation or on a weekend'visit. Particularly in small homes, apartments, or onva cations or visits, space limitations are frequently suchthat both a playpen and a cribwould occupy too much room so that there is a real needfor a'single folding unit that will serve b'oth'p'urposes.

In accordance with my invention, I provide such a unit consisting of a pair of side walls and a pair of end walls. Each side Wall includes a plurality of vertically spaced members and each end wall has two sections, each of which is so hinged to the other and to one of the side walls that the end walls may be folded inwardly towards each other to establish a collapsed position of the unit. In its collapsed position, the sections of the end walls and the side walls define a pair of storage, compartments A bottom is hinged to the lower part of one ofthe sides'so that it may be swung upwardly to occupy one of the com-partments when the unit is collapsed or be seated in playpen establishing position against stop means on the other side wall. I

A unit in accordance withmy invention also includes a crib establishing element dimensioned to fit within the unit, when set up for use, and having arms disposed to seat on and lock to corresponding side wall members. The crib establishing element is easily removed when it is desired to use the unit as a playpen and when the unit is collapsed, it. fits within the other compartment in which it is supported by the stop means.

In the accompanying drawings, I have shown an illustrative embodiment of my invention from which these and other of its novel features and advantages will be readily apparent.

In the drawings;

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a unit in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the unit set up for use as a playpen.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the unit when collapsed.

(Cl; 5-99) I Fig. 4 is a vertical cross section, on an enlarged scale, of the unit showing the crib establishing element locked to its side wall, and

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the crib establishing element.

The unit shown the drawings consists of side and end walls indicated generally at Ill and II,

respectively.

Each of the side walls 10 includes a pair of uprights 12 each of which hasashoulder is disposed towards the shoulder of the other and a caster l4 secured to its lower extremity. To the outer surfaces of the uprights 12 are secured spaced and horizontally disposed side members such as the lowermost member l5,'the uppermost member l6, and the intermediate members I! so that the uprights l2 of one side project towards the uprights of the other side. In practice, the member :5 of each side is made from stock somewhat wider than that used for the other side members and has its bottom edge slightly below the shoulders I3.

Each end wall II, as may best be seen in Fig. 4, consists of a pair of sections- Each section has members [8 and 19, corresponding in size to'the side members I5 and I6, respectively, interconnected by a plurality of vertically disposedand uniformly spaced slats 20. The sections of each end wall are hinged together'as at 2| and each of them is hinged as at 22 to one of the uprights l2 with the hinges 2| and 22 being so disposed that the unit'may' be collapsed with the end walls 'll folded inwardly when the catches 23 are unhooked. In the collapsed position of the unit, each end wall section is substantially parallel to the adjacent side wall 10' but is spaced therefrom by'the upright l2 to which it is hingedas is clearly shown in Fig. 3. Corresponding sections of the end walls ll thus define, when the unit is collapsed, with the uprights l2 to which they are hinged and with the side wall of which those uprights are a part compartments 24 and 25.

I provide a bottom 26 for my unit which is hinged as at 21 to one of the side members l5 so that when the unit is set up for use, it is supported by the shoulders [3 of the uprights thereby to establish the unit as a playpen. When the unit is to be collapsed, the bottom 26 is swung upwardly against the side Wall id to which it is hinged and it and the end and side walls are so proportioned that in the collapsed unit, it is completely housed in the compartment 24. To enable the bottom 26 to be conveniently gripped, I form it with a hole 28 adjacent its unhinged edge.

At 29, I have indicated generally a crib establishing element which consists of a frame 36 supporting a spring 3| of any desired construction. The element 29 is dimensioned to fit within the unit, when set up, and has adjacent each end oppositely disposed arms 32 engageable with the upper surfaces of any corresponding pair of side members. In practice, each arm is notched as at 33 so that it may be securely locked to the side members by which it is supported thereby to prevent side-to-side movement of the element 29 and the arms 32 are also disposed so that they are closely adjacent the uprights 12 thereby preventing end-to-end movement of the element 29.

Such an element is quickly and easily installed and as it may be supported by any corresponding pair of side members, it enables the unit to be readily adapted to the age of the infant. When the unit is to be used as a playpen, the element 29 may be removed and when the unit is to be collapsed for storage or to enable it tobe transported with convenience, the removed element 29 may be fully housed in the compartment 25 and be supported therein by engagement of one pair of its arms 32 with the shoulders l3 exposed in the bottom of that compartment.

When the unit is set up for playpen use, the lowermost members [5 and I8 establish a retaining wall of adequate height. While I provide spaced and horizontally disposed side members to establish means for supporting the crib establishing element 29 at difierent levels in the unit, this arrangement has proved to be of advantage to the child when he reaches the age of trying to walk for the side members provide a choice of continuous and easily engageable surfaces for him to hold.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that units in accordance with my invention are easily manufactured and sturdy in construction. As they may be readily adapted for playpen and crib use and are adapted to be compactly folded when they are to be put in storage or transported, they are well suited to meet all requirements.

What I therefore claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A unit for use in the care of a child, said unit comprising a pair of side walls and a pair of end walls, each of said side walls comprising a pair of uprights and a plurality of spaced and horizontally disposed members interconnectin said uprights with said uprights projecting towards the other of said side walls, eachof said uprights including a sholder adjacent its lower end, each of said end walls comprising a pair of sections each of which is hinged to the other and to one of said uprights to enable said end walls to be folded inwardly towards the other to collapse said unit with the folded end wall sections in spaced relation to said side walls thereby to define a pair of storage compartments, a, bottom hinged to the lowermost member of one of said side walls and dimensioned to fit one of said compartments when the unit is collapsed, and to seat against said shoulders to establish a playpen, and a crib establishing element including a plurality of spaced supporting arm to seat on and lock to the upper surfaces of corresponding members of said side walls and to abut the uprights of the side Walls, said crib element being dimensioned to fit within said other compartment of the unit when collapsed and to be supported therein by engagement of its supporting arms with said shoulders.

2. A unit for use in the care of a child, said unit comprising a pair of side walls and a pair of end walls, each of said side walls including end portions projecting towards the other side wall and a plurality of spaced and horizontally disposed side members, each of said end walls comprising a pair of sections, each of which is hinged to the other and to one of said end portions to enable said unit to be collapsed with said end Wall sections folded inwardly in spaced relation to the side Walls to define a pair of compartments, a bottom hinged to the lowermost side member of one of said side walls, a stop on' the other side wall engageable by said bottom to establish said unit as a playpen and said bottom being disposable in one of said compartments when the unit is collapsed, and a crib establishing element including a plurality of spaced supporting arms recessed to lockingly engage With corresponding members of said side walls and to abut the end positions thereof, said element being disposable in the other compartment established when the unit is collapsed and when thus disposed being supported by engagement of its arm with said stops. I

SHELDON CARBEE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 389,018 Shepardson Sept. 4, 1888 411,653 Fay Sept. 24, 1889 1,079,675 Trimble Nov. 25, 1913 1,270,358 Zaremba June 25, 1918 1,440,943 Szabo Jan. 2, 1923 1,516,322 Beaucoudray Nov; 18, 1924 2,041,509 OBryne May 19, 1936 2,224,310 Merrett et a1. Dec. 10, 1940 2,255,791 Klopfer et al Sept. 16, 1941 2,479,273 Simmons Aug. 16, 1949 

